RESTRICTED
DISCUSSION IN THE CONTEXT OF THE 'RIGID' AGREEMENT FOR LARGER
SUPPLIERS. WE THEREFORE FULLY RESERVED OUR POSITION ON THE TEXT OF THE FLEXIBLE AGREEMENT UNTIL THESE POINTS WERE SETTLED.
•
4. WE WERE SUPPORTED BY FRANCE AND ITALY BUT THE COMMISSION INSISTED
ON THEIR RIGHT TO INITIAL AGREEMENTS ON THEIR OWN RESPONSIBILITY.
THE COMMISSION'S TASK WAS TO CONDUCT THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE
ADVICE OF THE ARTICLE 113 COMMITTEE. MEMBER STATES WERE BEING GIVEN
THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER THE FLEXIBLE AGREEMENT. IF THEY COULD
NOT AGREE THE COMMISSION WOULD HAVE TO ASSUME ITS RESPONSIBILITIES.
THIS VIEW WAS ENDORSED BY GERMANY AND BELGIUM.
5. SUMMING UP DE SMAEL (IN THE CHAIR) NOTED THE RESERVES WHICH HAD
BEEN PLACED ON THE TEXT OF THE AGREEMENT BUT SUPPORTED THE
COMMISSION'S INTERPRETATION OF THEIR NEGOTIATING RESPONSIBILITIES.
(B) THE 'RIGID' AGREEMENT.
6. AT A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE ARTICLE 113 COMMITTEE YESTERDAY
MORNING THE COMMISSION GAVE THEIR RESPONSE TO THE COMMENTS MADE BY
MEMBER STATES ON MONDAY AFTERNOON:
:
ARTICLE 4. THE COMMISSION ARE NOW PROPOSING TO MAKE IT CLEAR
EITHER IN THE TEXT OF THE AGREEMENTS OR BY EXCHANGES OF LETTERS
THAT THE COMMUNITY WILL NOT AS A RULE ACCEPT SWING WITHIN GROUP I
OR INTO GROUPS I AND 11. THEY CONFIRMED THAT THEY WOULD BE OFFERING.
5 PER CENT FOR EACH KIND OF FLEXIBILITY (INCLUDING TRANSFERS BETWEEN GROUPS) WITH A CUMULATIVE LIMIT OF 9 PER CENT FOR GROUP I
AND 12.5 PER CENT FOR OTHER GROUPS. THEY SAID. HOWEVER THAT THEY
WERE PREPARED TO INCREASE THESE FIGURES IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH
SUPPLIERS. WE, FRANCE AND THE NETHERLANDS INSISTED THAT FIGURES
PROPOSED BY THE COMMISSION WERE MAXIMA WHICH SHOULD NOT BE
EXCEEDED.
ARTICLE 6. THE COMMISSION MAINTAINED THEIR PREVIOUS POSITION. WE
WARNED THE COMMISSION THAT WE WERE PREPARED TO RAISE THE PROPOSED
- 2
RESTRICTED
DEPARTURES